Oil display rack and utility cabinet



SePf- 9, 1958 D. A. MecowAN 2,851,064

on. DISPLAY RACK AND uugILm CABINET Filed Dec. 27, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 9, 1958 D. A. MccowAN 2,851,064

OIL DISPLAY RACK AND UTILITY CABINET Filed Dec. 2'?, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OIL DISPLAY RACK UTILITY CABINET David A. McCowan, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application December 27, 1955, Serial No. 555,687 Claims priority, application Canada April 18, 1953 7 Claims. (ci. 141-98) This invention relates to a new and improved combined oil can display rack'and utility cabinet.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile oil can display unit which incorporates aids to a service station attendant when servicing a vehicle.

Another object is to provide such a unit having an improved labour-saving can-draining device which is singlehandedly operable.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide such a unit wherein the possibility of the displayed cans falling from the racks, when the unit is moved is substantially eliminated.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an oil can rack and utility cabinet;

Figure 2 is a side sectional View of the unit;

Figure 3 is an end sectional elevation of the unit;

Figures 4a, b, c and d illustrate the use of a can-drain ing means located in one end of the unit;

Figure 5 is an end sectional detail view of a can-carrying rack with a can in position;

Figure 6 is a side View of a portion of the unit, showing a modified form of the can-carrying racks; and

Figure 7 is a perspective detail of this modiiied form of rack, shown with a can in position.

The perspective view of Figure l shows the unit as a hollow body portion 1 consisting of vertical side walls 2 and 3 spacedapart by horizontal can-carrying racks 4. The hollow body 1 is topped by a paper towel dispensing head having a hood 5 and has a can disposal drawer 19 shown withdrawn. The dispensing head is provided with a pocket 6 in either end of the dispensing head, for containing windshield cleaning uid containers 7. A special feature is the can-draining means shown generally at numeral 2a. The containers 33 are provided for canopeners. This can-draining means requires the use of only one hand and allows a can to be removed from theA opener, vdrained into a receptacle 32, and automatically dumped into the container 19 when the next can be inserted. A further feature is the provision of wheels 23 so that the Whole unit may easily be moved.

The general arrangement of the paper dispenser is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Dual rolls 36 are accessible from either side of the unit. A generally T-shaped plate 40 rides on the rolls in order to prevent undesirable rotation of the rolls 36.

The details of the can-draining means are also shown in Figures 2 and 3. A can-receiving opening 25 in the end wall 2 is provided with a cover 26 which slides vertically in runners 26a. This cover 26 is provided with an outward projection 27 which provides a handle for lifting the cover and also acts as a stop to limit its movement. Within the body 1 and behind the opening 25, a trough 28 is disposed. The longitudinal axis of the trough 28 is inclined upwardly away from the opening 25. Above the trough 28 a spring member 29 is mounted and so disposed that it presses dow-n on the side of a can ICC placed in the'trough. The lower end of the trough'28 is provided with a lip 30 positioned directly above an oil chute 31. The oil chute 31 slopes downwardly towards an oil receiving receptacle 32 removably held by means of bracket 32a within the drawer 19.

Recesses 33 are provided in the wall 2 on either side of the opening 25 to receive each a device 34 of the combination oil can opener and pouring spout type. The recesses 33 form each one side of a V and have openings in their lower ends directly above the oil chute 31.

The ease with which the can-draining means allows cans to be disposed of, is illustrated in Figures 4a, b, c

and d. A can 15 is held by means of the conventional opener 34 which has punctured the top of the can and remains lodged therein. Using the base of the can 15 to force up on the projection 27 of the cover 26, the cover is opened thereby allowing the can 15 to be i-nserted through the opening 25. The can is fully inserted so that it rests on the trough 28 (not shown in these figures) behind the wall 22. When the can is fully inserted, the cover 26 drops down on the opener 34 and lin front of the can 15 so that the can is held in the trough 28 while the opener is removed. The opener 34 is then placed in one of the recesses 33. Any oil remaining in thegopener 34 or can 15 drains away into the receptacle 32 not shown in this figure. As shown in Figure l, when the next can is inserted, the irst can is pushed olf the trough 28 into the drawer 19 which may be removed for disposal of the cans.

The drawer 19 is slidablycmounted on runners 2i), Figure 3, and besides receiving empty cans, it also catches used paper towels passed through slot 21 in wall 3. Slot 21' is provided with a hinged trap 22 and is shown in Figure 2. This iigure also shows wheels 23, rotatably mounted on a common axle 24 at the foot of wall 3. The common axle 24 `is rigidly mounted between bars 11 at either edge of the wall 3. It will be seen that when the entire unit is pivoted about .the axle 24, it will rest entirely on the wheels 23 and may be moved in the manner of a two wheeled cart.

The can-carrying racks will be described in conjunction with Figures 3 and 5. The racks consist of can-supporting members 8 and backing members 9, which are parallel and extend horizontally between the angle bars 11 at the edges of the end walls l2 and 3. As best shown in Figure 5, the can-supporting members 8 have a at portion 13 on which the can 15. sits, a -lip portion 16 which prevents the can from sliding forward, and a downwardly projecting extension 10 which bears against the top of the next lower can if that can tips forward. The extension 10, therefore, prevents the next lower can from falling out of the rack if the unit is tipped. The backing members 9 have a flat surface in close proximity to the side of the can 15, and, in this particular embodiment wherein the sides ofthe unit` are not vertical, the can 15 rests against the member 9. lThe spacing'between the members'S and 9 is such that the can 15 may be inserted between the lip 16 and the extension 10 of successive can-supporting members 8, so as to rest on the surface 13 of the member 8 and against member 9, yet the extension 10 is suiciently close to the top of the next l'ower can that if this can tips forward, the extension 10 bears against its top and prevents the can from falling out. Of course the top-most rack need not have a member 8 above it; all that is required is a simple member providing an extension 10.

Figures 6 and 7 show an alternative form of the cansupporting member of 'the rack. In this alternative form the bearing member consists of a thin member 17 with rectangular'notches 18a of such a width as to accept a portion of the bottom of a can 15 as shown in Figure 7. The backing member is placed so as to bear against the can in order to keep the base of the can in the notch, while the lower edge of' the next upper member 17V catches the top of the can iii: it tips. This form of bearing mmber is advantageous since it has avery small dust gathering surface.` l

Those parts of the display unit where cans, canopeners or windshield cleaning fluid containers come into contact with theunit, except the racks 4, are provided with a protective facing or ri rn of stainless or low carbon steelto protect against undue chipping ofpaint or enamel finish which would result in rusting.

The present applicationl is a continuation-impart of application Serial No. 354,367, tiled` Mayl 1l, 1953, now abandoned.

What I-claim is:

1. A combined oilvdisplay:racll andA utility cabinet comprising a hollow body having substantially parallel side walls which taper'from bottoni to top and which are spaced apart by substantially horizontalx cancarrying racks extending between the corresponding edges of said side walls, a drawer for receiving empty canspprovided in the lower portion of said body, one of said walls having a can-receiving opening therein, a substantially, vertically-slidable cover mounted' over said opening, an outwardly projecting flattened fmemberat the lowerextrernity of said cover, a can-receiving trough disposed within `said body and having its longitudinalvaxis lying in a plane normal to the plane of said one of said walls but inclined upwardly away from said opening, the lower end of said trough being adjacent said opening, a spring member held above said trough and adaptedto hold a can in said trough, a lip formed at the lower end of said trough within said body, a substantiallyA semi-cylindrical canopener retainer rigidly attached to the inner side of said one of said walls adjacentsaidopening, said one of said walls having provided therein a slot aligned and cooperating with said retainer, said retainer being open at the lower end thereof, an oil'chuteA disposed beenath said lower end of said retainer and said lip, and an oilreceiving receptacle disposed in said drawer beneath the lower end of said chute.

2. A device as claimed inV claim 1, in which each of said can-carrying racks comprises a bearing member and a backing member, said bearing member being an angle bar extending between the corresponding edges of said side walls, one side of'said angle bar being substantially normal to the plane in which said'edges are lying, said one side being the upper side, Athe upper surface of which being the bearing surface, the other side of said angle bar being the lower side and lying substantially in said plane in which said edges are lying, an upwardly projecting flange formed alo'ngr the outer edge of said one side of said bar, said backing member being an elongated plate extending between said side walls having its transverse axis substantially normal to said bearing surface and being disposed above `said surface and set back inwardly from said corresponding edges in relation to said body, said racks being spaced apart above one another at distances such that the top of ar can tilted about the point of contact betweenA the lower rim of vsaid can and said 4 flange will abut against, and be held by the lower side of the angle bar of the rack immediately above.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said can-carrying racks comprises a bearing member and a backing member, both said members being elongated metal plates, said bearing member being rigidly held with its broad face substantially parallel to the plane of the corresponding edges o f said side walls and in4 advance of said plane in relation to said body, said backing member being heldr with its broad face substantially parallel to said plane and disposed above said, bearing member and set back inwardly from said plane in relation to said body,Av the upper edge-,of said bearingmember having recesses formed therein adapted toreceive each a portion of the lower rim of' a can, said bearing members being so spaced apart above one another that the top of a can tilted about the point of contact between the bottom of said can and said upper edge will abutagainst and be held by the lower edge of thebearing member immediately above.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which a pair of wheels are rotatably mounted ona` common substantially horizontal axis disposed at the foot of and lying substantially inthe plane of one of said side walls.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said vertically-slidable cover andall retaining` means and openings, other thansaidracks, are provided with stainless `steel rims.

6. In a wall member having a canfreceiving opening therein, a can-draining means comprising a can-,supporting trough disposed behind said` wall member adjacent said opening withits longitudinal axis inclined upwardly and away from said wall member, means for retaining a can in saidtrough including a cover for saidopening urged to the closed position, and a receptacle arranged to receive liquid from the lower endlof said trough, such structure being so constructed and arranged as to enable insertion of an opened canithrough said opening into said trough by means of a combination can opener and pouring spout device engaged with said can and to retain said can in said trough on withdrawal of said device whereby to position said can in said trough with its opened end lowermost and adjacent saidwall member to drain into said receptacle.

7. The structure claimed in claim 6, wherein said cover is slidably mounted on said wall member and includes an outwardly extending projection for engagement by the unopened end of said can for movement of said cover away from closed position obscuring said opening.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS 447,643 Kersey Mar. 3, 1891 2,191,488 McCowan Feb. 27, 1940 2,199,970 Mitchell May 7, 1940 2,320,159 Smith Mayv 25, 1943 2,537,686 Mertz et al. Jan. 9, 1951 2,743,039 Smith Apr.` 24, 1956 

